


Pity Party

by bayoublackjack



Series: Stars & Stripes Forever [5]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Old Peggy Carter, POV Steve Rogers, Relationship Advice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-19
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-09 12:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1983408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bayoublackjack/pseuds/bayoublackjack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve can't stop thinking about Martha, but when he needs relationship advice, he finds it from a surprising source.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pity Party

It had been well over a month since the elevator incident and Steve couldn’t get Martha out of his head.  Late at night when the thoughts of the day had faded away, he found himself back in that elevator with her again.  It was so vivid and so real.  Martha in his arms, bodies pressed together, mouth to mouth.  But more than just the physical intimacy, he longed to have that spiritual connection again.  Steve missed her voice.  He was certain that could listen to her talk for hours and never be bored.  He loved the sound of her laughter and her smile.  That smile.  Brighter the sun it was and twice as warm.

Those precious moments in the elevator had simultaneously gotten his foot in the door and gotten the door slammed in his face.  He had no idea where they stood and that bothered him.  He wanted a chance with her more than words could express and if she gave him the opportunity, he’d be eternally grateful.  And if she shut him down, well he’d be devastated, but he’d respect her choice and hope that they could at least be friends.  Either way, he wanted an answer, but he had no idea how to go about getting one.  And therein lay the problem.

It was times like these that Steve missed Bucky the most.  Bucky never had trouble getting a date.  He was both smart and handsome, which definitely went a long way, but he also had a natural charm about him that made it easy for him win people over.

Bucky would know what to do and he would know exactly what to say.

‘He’d like her,’ Steve thought to himself.  There was no doubt about that in his mind.  Though their interactions had been brief, Bucky liked Peggy, probably because she had no problem giving Steve a hard time.  It was one more thing that she and Martha had in common.

Peggy would know what to tell him too.

As she had so accurately pointed out during the war, Steve knew very little about women, but he did know how to treat them.  They were equals and deserved respect.  Steve could have figured that much on his own even if it wasn’t just him and his mom after his father died.

Still, a part of him thought it would be nice to gain Peggy’s perspective on the situation with Martha.  For some people, it might have been weird to get advice from a former flame, but Steve had long since made peace with the fact that Peggy went on with her life while he was stuck in the ice.  A husband, kids and grandkids.  The whole nine yards.  She was happy and that was all that mattered to him.

Ultimately, Steve decided against visiting Peggy.  They both may have moved on from the time they shared together, but he still considered her one of his favorite girls and part of him always would.  Ever since the dementia had set in, she had her good days and her bad days.  So the next time he went to visit her, he wanted it to be solely about Peggy and not because he needed help with his love life.

Steve still needed advice though, but he wasn’t sure with whom to talk to about it.  Natasha was the next obvious choice, but there was a 100% chance that she’d find a way to meddle like she did with the elevator and during the mission.  If Clint’s relationships with Bobbi and Jessica were any indication, he wasn’t the best source of information either.  Thor was currently on another plane of existence and frankly Bruce just didn’t seem to have the temperament for that sort of thing, which left one person as a final option.

Tony was his father’s son in more ways than one.  Howard Stark was a ladies’ man when Steve knew him and he had offered him sage advice when it came to pursuing Peggy.  Surely Tony would have a thing or two to say on the matter.  The question Steve had to ask himself was if the insight Tony could provide was worth the trouble Steve would have to endure to obtain it.

This was a bad idea.  Steve was sure of it.

Nevertheless, Steve made his way through the crowded lobby of the newly rechristened Avengers Tower and hit the button for the elevator.  Those thoughts of Martha in his arms resurfaced again.

“Steve?  Is that you?” Pepper Potts’s voice called over his shoulder.

He turned to face her.  “Pepper.”

“I’m surprised to see you here,” Pepper said with a smile that faltered slightly.  “You didn’t have an appointment did you?  Tony’s not here.  He left a vague message on my voice mail about Rhodey, Bruce and clean burning rocket engines.”

“No.”  Steve shook his head.  “It was a spur of the moment thing.”  He hesitated.  “I just needed some advice.”

Pepper quirked a brow.  “From _Tony_?”

“Yea.”  Steve rubbed the back of his neck.  “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“Sounds like.”  The doors to the elevator opened and Pepper stepped inside.

“Actually,” Steve began as he followed her in.  “Maybe you can help me.”

Pepper shrugged and pressed the button for the floor to her office.  “I can try.”

“Well…”  Steve paused to think of how to begin.  “There’s this woman.”

“Really?”  Pepper’s interest was definitely piqued by this turn of events.  “And you were going to talk to _Tony_ about her?  As a last resort, right?” she guessed.

Steve laughed.  “Pretty much.”

“I figured.”  Pepper nodded.  “Well tell me about her.”

“Her name is Martha.  She’s a doctor and a member of UNIT.”

“Right, the interagency collaboration.  I heard about that from Maria,” Pepper said.  “So what’s the problem?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Steve answered.  “I promised to take her out for coffee, but work kept getting in the way.”

“Did you apologize?”

Steve nodded.  “We got trapped in an elevator together and we talked things out,” he confessed.  “And we kissed.”

“Okay.  So far so good.”  Pepper listened and nodded.  “Then what happened?”

Steve frowned as the memories came flooding back.  “She said that the kiss had been a mistake and that we shouldn’t mix business and pleasure.  I haven’t seen her since then.”

“Is it possible that she’s just not interested?” Pepper asked.

“I thought about that,” he said sadly.  “But she seemed like she was before then,” he added hopefully.  “She was disappointed about the coffee and she kissed me first.  That has to mean something, right?”

“Hmm.”  Pepper paused thoughtfully.  “It could be any number of things, Steve,” she offered as an explanation with a slight shrug.  “You won’t really know for sure until you two sit down and talk about it, preferably face to face.”

Steve sighed softly and nodded.  “I feel like she’s been avoiding me at work, but I do know her home address.  Maybe I should wait for her there?”

“So you want hang out outside of house because you know she’ll show up sooner or later?” Pepper asked with a frown.  “You do know that counts as stalking right?”

Steve exhaled sharply and rubbed his temple.  “I never said it was a good plan.”

“I might have a better idea, if you’re interested,” Pepper offered.  “It’s similar, but decidedly less illegal.”

Steve looked up.  “I’m listening.”

Pepper looked down at the tablet she had been holding the entire time and searched for something.  “What’s her last name?”

“Jones,” Steve answered.  “Dr. Martha Jones.”

Pepper nodded and typed something quickly before turning the screen for Steve to see.  “Tony is hosting a Christmas party,” she announced.  “I’m sending out the invitations myself.  And I just put her name on the guest list.”  She smiled and tucked the tablet under her arm as the elevator doors opened.  “If all else fails, maybe you can ask her for a dance,” she suggested before stepping out of the elevator.

Steve watched the doors close and smiled to himself.  He never got to dance with Peggy, but maybe he’d finally have his chance with Martha.


End file.
